FOR YEARS NOW, HONEYBEES IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE BEEN DYING
AND IT SEEMS TO BE A MYSTERY AS TO WHAT WAS KILLING THEM.
THE EPA HAS FINALLY CONCEDED THAT A VERY WIDELY USED
PESTICIDE COULD BE THE REASON
FOR THESE HONEYBEES DYING.
THEY RELEASED A REPORT, AND ACCORDING TO MOTHER JONES
THE REPORT CARD WAS SO DIRE THAT THE EPA COULD POTENTIALLY
TAKE ACTION TO RESTRICT OR LIMIT THE USE OF A CHEMICAL BY
THE END OF THIS YEAR.
THE CHEMICALS IN QUESTION ARE REFERRED TO AS
NEONICOTINOIDS.
TENS OF ACRES OF FARMLAND ARE SPRAYED WITH THIS PER YEAR.
REVEALING DOZENS OF STUDIES, THE EPA'S RISK ASSESSMENTS AND
TEAM ESTABLISH THAT WHEN BEES
ENCOUNTERED THESE AT LEVELS THAT
ARE COMMON THAT THEY SUFFER HARM.
SPECIFICALLY SOYBEANS AND COTTON, AND CITRUS ARE AREAS
WHERE THESE PESTICIDES ARE USED, AND IT ENDS UP IN THE POLLEN OF
THE FRUIT.
AND THAT LEAVES THEM BECOMING ILL OR DYING COMPLETELY.
IT SHUTS DOWN NERVOUS SYSTEMS.
THAT IS A TESTAMENT TO HOW CORRUPT EVERYTHING IN THIS
COUNTRY IS RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THE EPA COULD NOT JUST ADMIT TO
THIS.
COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER, EVERYBODY'S FREAKING OUT
BECAUSE WE HAVE HONEYBEES DISAPPEARING.
I THINK THE POPULATION IS NOW LESS THAN HALF OF WHAT WAS
AT THE END OF WORLD WAR II.
ONE IN THREE BITES OF FOOD WE EAT ORIGINATES FROM
POLLINATION FROM BEES.
IS GOING TO IMPACT OUR FOOD.
THE TWO COMPANIES THAT MAKE THESE CHEMICALS,
I AM UNAWARE AS TO HOW MUCH POLITICAL SWAY THEY HAVE, BUT
I'M GUESSING QUITE A BIT.
THIS LONG INSUFFERABLE PROCESS TO COME UP TO THIS ñ
TO COME UP WITH THIS CONCLUSION
THAT EVERYBODY ALREADY KNEW.
OF COURSE IF YOU PUT THE INSECTICIDE ALL OVER THE
FREAKING FLOWER, AND THEN IT IS GOING TO BE IN THE POLLEN
AS WELL.
THE GOVERNMENT WAS VERY RESISTANT TO THAT
CRITICISM, THEY WERE RESISTANT TO ACTUALLY INVESTIGATING IT.
WHAT ARE THE CHANCES THAT THE FIRST ONE THEY INVESTIGATED
TURNED OUT.
WHAT ARE THE CHANCES?
100 PERCENT.
I DON'T IF YOU TRUST THESE SCIENTISTS, THEY ARE PROBABLY
JUST FOLLOWING THE MONEY.
CLIMATE CHANGE, SAME GUYS WHO SAY THAT THERE'S CLIMATE CHANGE
ñ SCIENTISTS ARE ONLY IN IT FOR
THE MONEY.
THESE ARE SUCH A KEYSTONE SPECIES, IT IS UNBELIEVABLY
CRUCIAL THAT WE MAINTAIN A POPULATION.
A WHILE BACK TOLD, OR FROGS WERE DISAPPEARING ñ
I DON'T KNOW WHY I BROUGHT IT UP, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW
WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE SETTING UP A JOKE.
THEY WERE AFRAID THEY WERE LOSING CERTAIN TYPES OF TOADS
AND FROGS.
WE KNEW THIS LESSON WITH DDT, WITH BIRDS ANY EFFECT IT IS
STILL HAVING ON MATTER POPULATIONS.
SILENT SPRING, RACHEL CARSON, WE KNOW THIS.
ALL ENVIRONMENTALISTS KNOW THIS.
I READ THIS STORY AND I WAS LIKE, IS IT GROUNDHOG DAY AT THE
EPA?
THE RESPONSE WOULD BE, WHAT DO WE DO?
ME TO GET RID OF THE PROBLEM WHEN THEY ARE GOING CROPS,
BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE BUYING IT.
IN DOING THIS, THE PROBLEM THEN IS GOING TO BE, WHAT DO YOU
WANT US TO DO?
STOP?
BECAUSE THEN WE HAVE TO FIND AN ALTERNATE SOLUTION.
WE ARE LAZY.
COME UP WITH SOMETHING ELSE.
THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER WAY TO DO IT.
WE CAN'T KEEP DESTROYING THE ENVIRONMENT AND PUT OUR
HANDS UP IN THE AIR AND SAY IT IS TOO DIFFICULT TO FIND A NEW
SOLUTION.
FUEL HAS BEEN THE WAY WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE IT, WHAT DO YOU
WANT US TO DO RESEARCH AND FIND SOMETHING ELSE?
ELECTRIC?
WE DON'T WANT TO DO IT BECAUSE WE'RE TOO GOOD FOR THAT?
GOD FORBID WE CREATE JOBS AROUND INNOVATION.
WE ARE NOT ABOUT THAT LIFE ANYMORE.